============================================ || || 3rd October 2010 || || LNU Website: http://www.lnu.org/ || || News of Lincolnshire Wildlife || ============================================ In this issue..... 1. Readers hints, tips and requests 2. Wildlife Highlights 3. Wildlife reports from around the county 4. News from the Lincolnshire Coast NNRs 5. News from Far Ings NNR 6. News from Whisby Nature Park 7. Sending in Reports - contributors please read! 8. Contact information 9. Wildlife News from Around the county. 10. Notes about these wildlife reports 11. Bulletin publicity policy 12. Events Diary ...and finally..... ============================================ The Lincolnshire Naturalists Union Bulletin is being read by 898 people and we are keen to encourage even more readers to subscribe. LNU Wildnews Bulletins are available on: http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html Note: Each address contains the relevant date. Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Lincolnshire Naturalists Union or any associated organisations. Please make contact via the LNU Website: http://www.lnu.org/ or e-mail wildlifenews@lnu.org, or contact the Editor to join up and contribute articles or reports. [Or cancel!] E-mail: rparsons@enterprise.net ============================================ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Readers hints, tips and requests ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Apples *** If you have windfall apples, remember to save a few boxes to put out for the birds if the winter turns harsh. These will attract interesting migrants, such as redwing, fieldfare, brambling as well as the visiting blackbirds and robins. Now is the time to think ahead. Roger *** LNU Events Diary *** For LNU meetings and updates see www.lnu.org/events.php Field Meetings generally start at 12 noon for 1.00pm, but please check the website details for each event. Sunday 10th October Hoplands Wood and Willoughby Branch Line, South of Alford. Both LWT Reserves. Fungus Foray 12.00 for 13.00 start. Hoplands Wood site first. This wood is found on the Willoughby-Claxby road, about 4 km (2.5 miles) south of Alford and 1 km (0.6 miles) west of the B1196 road. Park on verge at TF459 718. Willoughby Branch Line located at TF474 736. Habitats: Mixed Woodland, grassland, scrub, disused railway. Leader: Ray Halstead 07772 613640 ray.halstead@tiscali.co.uk *** Gulls *** Anne Goodall writes: Response to Garry Monger on gulls: I've certainly noticed some huge numbers on fields throughout the Limewoods area this autumn. I've been putting it down to storms at sea (which are supposed to drive them inland) but maybe the pickings are better on arable than elsewhere right now? *** Wash Pelagic *** Steve Keightley writes: As in previous years I have arranged to charter the Mystere from Boston to go out birding into the Wash. The boat is registered to carry passengers and has all facilities on board. We will depart Sluice bridge, Boston on: Sat 9th Oct at 0930 & return at 17 30 hrs. On Sun 10th we depart at 10 15 & return at 18 30hrs. The cost is £30 per person. A great chance to see many species of birds in the Wash, previous trips have recorded All the Skuas, Grey Phalarope, Divers, Slav Grebes, and last year the King Eider. We will also have a look at Common and Grey Seals. For further details, contact Steve Keightley, 01205 290233 or e-mail steve.keightley@btinternet.com. *** Future Events of the Grantham Branch of LWT *** Marion Ellis writes: Fri. 8th Oct 7.30pm Barkston & Syston Village Hall, A607 east of Grantham FORTY LINCOLNSHIRE TREES Jane Ostler Jane's illustrated talk follows the publication of the Tree Awareness Group's book celebrating forty special Lincolnshire trees. Includes champions (largest), veterans, legends and rarities. Members free, visitors £2 suggested donation *** Grimsby & Cleethorpes LWT *** Carolyn Lovely writes: On Saturday 9th October 2010 you are invited to join us for bird watching down at Cleethorpes after a high tide with leader John Nelson. Come and see a variety of waders. Please meet in Cleethorpes Leisure Centre carpark at 9am. All are welcome to join us. For further information contact Jenny Redpath Grimsby 502858 On Monday 11th October 2010 you are invited to join us for an illustrated talk on "Weather and Clouds" with weather forecaster Holly Green from RAF Conningsby Meteorological Office. There will be special reference to local weather variations and she will show us how to predict the weather from cloud formations. This will be held in the banqueting room of Grimsby Town Hall and starts at 7.30 pm. Admission £2. There will be Trust goods stall, raffle and refreshments All are welcome to join us. For further information contact Jenny Redpath Grimsby 502858 On Saturday 16th October 2010 you are invited to join us on a Fungus Foray at Snipe Dales Country Park near Hagworthingham with expert Ray Halstead. We hope to find up to 50 species or more. There are some steep hills to climb but for the majority we are helped by steps and hand rails. Please wear suitable clothing and footwear. Please meet in the Snipe Dales Country Park carpark grid ref. TF 330682 (small carpark fee) at 1pm. All are welcome to join us. For further information contact Jenny Redpath Grimsby 502858 *** RSPB Coach Trip *** Jeremy Eyeons writes: COACH TRIP TO OLD MOOR RSPB RESERVE, SOUTH YORKSHIRE. Sunday 17th October. The South Lincs RSPB has organised a coach trip to this superb reserve, with excellent facilities, in the heart of The Dearne Valley. A wonderful place for wildlife with fens, reedbeds, marshland and open water which attract thousands of migrating birds. Coach leaves Boston 9am. Adults £12-50, child £6. Please book early-spaces are limited. Contact 01529-241615. *** Volunteering days at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe *** Roger Briggs writes: Volunteering days at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes National Nature Reserve Saturday 30 Oct Invasive Scrub Clearance Crook Bank car park 10am - 3pm Help save this nationally-scarce habitat. Please bring a packed lunch. Saturday 4 Dec Invasive Scrub Clearance Crook Bank car park 10am - 3pm More help needed to save this nationally-scarce habitat. Please bring a packed lunch. For more information contact roger.briggs@naturalengland.org.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. Wildlife Highlights ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** Bird News from Rare Birds Alert *** Rare Bird Alert has kindly given permission to reproduce reports. A bit thank you from us all. Interested readers should have a look at the Bird Alertwebsite: http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/ Note: I am adapting website and SMS information for the Bulletin by elimnating or summarising/consolidating repeated messages. When there is a lot of information I will stick to highlights. Please visit the RBA website for updates or fuller details. 04/09/10 25th 3 Cetti's warbler, Far Ings NNR. Black Tern, Kirkby on Bain gravel pits. Osprey, Kirkby on Bain gravel pits. Hen Harrier, Worlaby Carrs + 3 hobbies. Osprey, Messingham Sand Quarry. 27th Yellow-browed warbler, Humberston Fitties. Osprey, Kirkby on Bain gravel pits. Red-breasted Flycatcher, Donna Nook. 28th 140 Pink-footed geese over Kirkby on Bain. Great Grey Shrike, Gibraltar Point NNR. Grey Phalarope, Covenham Reservoir. Pectoral Sandpiper, Frapton Marsh RSPB. 5 Yellow-legged gulls at Lea Marsh, nr Gainsborough. Bluethroat, Gibraltar Point, trapped and ringed. Osprey, Kirkby on Bain gravel pits. Great Grey Shrike, Donna Nook. Great Grey Shrike, Wainfleet.Sea Lane. Common Rosefinch, Donna Nook. Red-breasted Flycatcher, Donna Nook. Barred warbler, Gibraltar Point NNR. Osprey, Messingham Sand Quarry. Richard's Pipit, Donna Nook. 29th 8 Ring Ousels, Gibraltar Point NNR. Pectoral Sandpiper, Frapton Marsh RSPB. Great Grey Shrike, Gibraltar Point NNR. Great Grey Shrike, Cleethorpes, Fuller St bridge. Ring Ousel, Lincoln, Mount St allotments. Grey Phalarope, Covenham Reservoir. Icterine Warbler, Donna Nook. Yellow-browed warbler, Donna Nook. 4 Lapland buntings. 30th 6 Short-eared owls, Worlaby Carrs. Osprey, Messingham Sand Quarry LWT. Grey Phalarope, Covenham Reservoir. Great Grey Shrike south of Spalding. Wryneck, Donna Nook, Pyes Hall. Pectoral Sandpiper, Kirkby on Bain gravel pits. 3 Richard's Pipit, Grainthorpe Marsh. Great Grey Shrike, Cleethorpes, Fuller St bridge. Merlin m, Middle Rasen. 1st Oct Great Grey Shrike, Donna Nook. Osprey, Messingham Sand Quarry LWT. 12 Lapland buntings, Donna Nook. Pectoral Sandpiper, Frapton Marsh RSPB. 2nd Oct. Grey Phalarope, Covenham Reservoir. Great Grey Shrike, Donna Nook. Osprey, R Witham, Cherry Willingham. Osprey, over Scunthorpe. Bird Alert website: http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/ Here you can register free to use the site and get free trials of their subscription services. [Please mention the Bulletin if you decide to subscribe.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3. Wildlife news from around the county ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** The Roger Goy Column *** Remembering Roger Goy's wildlife information work. RAITHBY-CUM-MALTBY, near LOUTH TF 309 847 Silvia Fowler 25.09.2010 5pm: 5 Fieldfares heading north - first sighting of this autumn 30.09.2010 Approx. 1pm: 5 Buzzards soaring high over Raithby church. Sadly, another dead House Sparrow with swellings on his beak (Trichomonosis?). Mixed fortunes for insects this year. March: Lots of 7-spot ladybirds in my garden emerging from hibernation, also quite a few Harlequin ladybirds, but very little greenfly (the cold winter?). Throughout the summer I came across hardly any ladybirds, though I spend a lot of time among my plants and use no insecticides. Relatively few mosquitoes this summer but masses of whitefly on and off (the drought?). Lots of wasps, but bees seemed down again. Usual swarms of pollen beetles (oil-seed rape?) and thunderflies (humidity?) in July, and by late July a sudden explosion of greenfly, which may have helped the ladybirds. I came across a few winged ants in the soil when planting bulbs recently, but there were no swarms of flying ants at all in August, presumably due to the cold and wet weather. Anyone care to comment? *** County Wildlife Reports From Readers *** Please keep your reports coming, We rely on you to send in your observations and We welcome information from all readers, be they beginners or professionals. Thanks. FRISKNEY TF475565 S Foster Weekending 25 September 2010 During the warm sunny weather at the beginning of the week. House Martins wheeling over the garden - how does one count such a fast moving bird? About a dozen would cover it. Red Admiral - 2 Speckled Wood - 3 Both the above feeding on windfall apples. ALONG THE GRANTHAM CANAL AND DENTON RESERVOIR. David Clarke. 27/09/2010. Blackbird 12 Blue Tit 33 Bullfinch 2 Coal Tit 4 Coot 56 Chaffinch 10 Carrion Crow 8 Great Crested Grebe 2 Great Tit 8 Jackdaw 53 Long Tailed Tit 13 Magpie 3 Mallard 27 Moorhen 17 Mute Swan 7 Pheasant 10 Robin 8 Rook 23 Wood Pigeon 63 Wren 5. LOUTH Roger Labbett 30/9/2010 Kenwick Park, Louth My first Clifden Nonpariel - a rare migrant. The nights list: Clifden Nonpareil 1 Barred Sallow 1 Pink-barred Sallow 4 Sallow 3 Yellow-line Quaker 5 Red-line Quaker 1 Merveille du Jour 1 Large Yellow Underwing 2 Beaded Chestnut 4 Green-brindled Crescent 4 Brindled Green 4 Brick 1 Setaceous Hebrew Character 5 Square-spot Rustic 1 Pale Mottled Willow 2 Lunar Underwing 5 Large Wainscot 1 Smoky Wainscot 1 Snout 3 Common Marbled Carpet 2 Acleris variegana 1 Acleris emargana 2 Epinotia nisella 1 Plus in my garden: Blair's Shoulder-knot 1 Barred Sallow 1 Common Marbled Carpet 2 Lunar Underwing 1 Large Yellow Underwing 1 Epiphyas postvittana 6 MARTON SK842 820 Brian Hedley 28 September 2010 Moth-trap in garden overnight produced: Black Rustic 1 Beaded Chestnut 1 Lunar Underwing 1 Willow Beauty 1 Common Wainscot 1 Large Yellow Underwing 2 Setaceous Hebrew Character 2 Shuttle-shaped Dart 2 Turnip moth 4 Lesser Yellow Underwing 1 Rosy Rustic 1 Snout 1 Plus the burying beetles, Nicrophorus investigator and N.humator. TETNEY Joyce Attia Week ending 25/09/10. Tuesday. Canal bank - a flock of tree sparrows in the hawthorns, 6 common blue damselflies, 1 grey heron. A flock of gulls following a plough in adjacent field Along the marsh path - lots of common darters. 1 pied flycatcher and a small group of long tailed tits in the trees. Wednesday. Canal bank - 1 cormorant, grey heron again, 6 moorhens, and 2 of this year's juvenile swans. Marsh path - 2 small tortoiseshell and 4 small white butterflies, dragonflies still there. A bright new patch of ladies bedstraw and some white campion. Over the marsh - 3 redshanks, 1 oystercatcher, 1 little egret. Thursday. Marsh path - about 10 blue tits in the hawthorn bushes. 8 swallows. 1 little egret again and the redshanks. Still lots of dragonflies and a couple of sm. tortoiseshell butterflies I think the tree sparrows have gone. WAINFLEET CONSERVATION PONDS 02/10/2010 Roy and Kathleen Pearson Birds counted over a 15 minute period: Reed Bunting 2 Black-headed Gull 1 Goldfinch 3 Kestrel 1 Common Gull 1 Jackdaw 1 Great Tit 3 Mallard 99 Rook 4 Woodpigeon 36 Great Crested Grebe 3 Mute Swan 1 Magpie 2 Robin 1 Blackbird 1 WILDMORE FEN TF216534 A & R Parsons 29/9/10 Many adult toads still hunting 5.30am. 2/10/10 Many red admirals, common darters and migrant hawkers about. Barn own hunting at our gate at 1.30pm. A wet and hungry week it must have been for them. At 3pm we went down to our apiary to find a Marsh Harrier perched there. Fungus record for Aintree Cottage: TF216534 Wood blewit, Lepista nuda. In lawn near willow. Photo taken. WRANGLE COMMON 02/10/2010 Roy and Kath Pearson Birds counted in a stroll lasting half an hour: Mute Swan 2 Moorhen 4 Coot 3 Woodpigeon c100 Blue Tit 1 Great Tit 1 Rook 2 Stock Dove 2 Mallard 62 Blackbird 4 Robin 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Redwing 5 Canada Goose 35 Reed Bunting 3 Black-headed Gull c200 Herring Gull 10 Common Gull c100 Teal 2 Jackdaw 2 Meadow Pipit 1 Wren1 We also noticed a large group of Red Admirals on ivy in a sunny corner. This is an annual event at this time of year. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4. Lincolnshire Coast NNRs including RSPB Wash Reserves See: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/species/birds/index.php http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/lwt/seals/index.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GIBRALTAR POINT N.N.R. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/gib/index.php Katherine Bocock No report yet. SALTFLEETBY THEDDLETHORPE NNR. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/nr/reserve.php?mapref=41 John Walker. Report on 29th Sept 2010 Migrant birds have been very visible this week with a large influx from Scandinavia, this included hundreds of robins, song thrushes, chaffinches, linnets, Also dozens of siskins, goldcrests, and tens of bramblings, reed buntings, redstarts; also seen were woodcock, short eared owl, hen harrier, pied and spotted flycatchers, chiffchaffs, willow warblers, garden warblers, blackcaps, lesser whitethroats, yellow browed warblers, snow buntings and Lapland buntings. Several thousands of pink foot geese have also passed over. RSPB WASH Reserves - Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore John Badley RSPB Lincs Wash Reserves sightings August 2010. RSPB Frampton Marsh http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/framptonmarsh/index.asp Wader passage included a Curlew Sandpiper from 20th, with two on 30th, a peak of 30 Greenshanks on 14th, up to three Little Stints from 18th onwards, up to 18 Ruffs and occasional single Wood Sandpipers. Birds of Prey were represented by female Montagu's Harriers, from 4th – 10th, 16th and 30th, an Osprey from 6th – 24th and the first returning Short- eared Owl of the year on 31st. An Arctic Skua on the Reedbed from 1st to 3rd was rather out of character. Other sightings included up to two Garganeys, two Black Terns on 27th, up to five Whinchats and a good count of 750 Teal on 28th. RSPB Freiston Shore http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/freistonshore/index.asp On the sea there were 33 Common Scoter on 17th, two Black Terns on 27th, up to three Arctic Skuas and a Great Skua on 15th. Up to two Curlew Sandpipers were present from 10th – 16th, early returning Merlins appeared on 16th and 25th, an Osprey on 10th (the same as the Frampton bird) and a Montagu's Harrier on 15th. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5. News from Far Ings NNR http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/reserves/far_ings/index.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FAR INGS NNR Week ending 02.10.10 BIRDS Max. Numbers = bar-tailed godwit black-tailed godwit 9 bearded tit 12 bittern blackbird 8 black headed gull 50+ blue tit 8 bullfinch 2 carrion crow 4 Cetti's warbler 3 chaffinch 5 chiffchaff 2 collared dove 2 common buzzard common gull 8 coot 80+ cormorant 8 curlew 22 dunnock 3 gadwall 4 golden plover 200+ goldfinch 13 GC grebe 2 GS woodpecker 2 great tit 4 greenfinch 2 grey heron 3 greylag goose 30+ grey plover 5 herring gull house martin 6 house sparrow 9 kingfisher 2 knot lapwing 50+ little grebe 2 little stint long tailed tit 9 magpie 3 mallard 15 marsh harrier 1M, 1F meadow pipit moorhen 10 mute swan 6 pheasant 2 pied wagtail 6 pink - footed goose 18 pochard 2 redshank 50 reed bunting 3 ringed plover 20 robin 12 ruff 2 shelduck 2 shoveler 8 snipe song thrush starling 50+ sparrowhawk swallow C.50 tawny owl tufted duck 6 water rail 3 willow tit 3 wood pigeon 8 wren 10 yellowhammer 7 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 6. News from Bardney Limewoods NNR http://microsites.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Limewoods/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Reports from the following locations will now be posted here to give an overview of Limewoods ecology. The NNR includes the following sites: Chambers Farm Wood (please detail specfic area when reporting e.g. Ivy Wood, Little Scrubbs Meadow etc); College Wood, Cocklode & Great West Woods, Hardy Gang Wood, Newball Wood, Scotgrove Wood, Southrey Wood, Wickenby Wood Other woods included in the NNR but without public access: Stainfield Wood; Stainton & Fulnetby Woods (access by public bridleway only) Adrian Royle's website for photos of species from the Limewoods. http://www.flickr.com/photos/adiroyle/sets/72157616635241942/ Dormouse Group report from the Limewoods Anne Goodall reports: The 15 DG members who took part in the monitoring survey on Saturday 18th September found 7 mice in total; 3 full-grown females in different boxes (spread throughout the whole survey area); a female with two half-grown young in another box, and a male in one of the Big Meadow hedge tubes. Particularly exciting was finding a female in one of the boxes erected last winter in the NW coupe, making all our hard work worthwhile! Interestingly, the nest was in a box occupied by wasps through the summer; the colony (like all other wasp and hornet nests found this time) had died out, the nest had begun to collapse, and the mouse had built her nest among the debris. A separate and even more exciting event was finding a 'wild nest' in Little Scrubbs wood, at some distance from the original release site. The finders were a family who came to pick blackberries, and found a most unusual 'bird nest' as well. This finding means we have now confirmed their presence in three of the Chambers woodlands (and incidentally, in three different parishes) and also goes to show, yet again, that dormice can and do come down to ground level and run across roads. Chambers' Farm Wood Geof Fee Thursday, 30th September, 2010. Butterflies - good numbers Red admirals Tortoiseshells Peacocks Commas Speckled woods Brimstones Small whites Dragonflies Migrant hawker male Common darter - many Birds Great spotted woodpecker Blue tit Coal tit Great tit Chaffinch Greenfinch Bullfinch Robin Wren Pheasant Carrion crow Magpie Wood pigeon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 7. Sending in reports to Roger Parsons ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The purpose of the Bulletin is to encourage biological recording in Lincolnshire using modern Information and Communication Technology. We hope to increase the number of people reporting observations to LNU Recorders and improve the quality of reports, as well as the quantity and the geographical coverage. [A backup e-mail address you can use if ever you experience problems with my "Enterprise" address is: aintree2@yahoo.co.uk] When sending in reports please follow Bulletin layout to save editing: Place Name: IN CAPITALS with Grid Reference if you have it. Your Name: Real names please, not aliases. Put it in each time, for each location Date: Species list [Alphabetical?] & numbers [and observations?] e.g. Blackbird - 24 [And please, no home-grown abbreviations. Names in full.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 8. Contact Information & Useful Websites ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please let me know ASAP if any of these weblinks fail! *** Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union Website *** A full list of LNU Country Recorders is given here. http://www.lnu.org/ LNU e-mail: info@lnu.org If you are not yet a member, the LNU needs good naturalists like you! Anyone interested can get membership application forms via Tori Sandilands at the Lincs Wildlife Trust Horncastle office, e-mail vsandilands@lincstrust.co.uk LNU publications [listed on LNU website] may be ordered via: csmith668@btinternet.com *** Contacts List *** PC Nigel LOUND Wildlife Crime Officer - Community Safety Police HQ Deepdale Lane Nettleham Lincs LN57PH Tel 01522 558684 e-mail: nigel.lound@lincs.pnn.police.uk or Nige LOUND Wildlife Crime Officer County Police Station Sea Lane Ingoldmells Lincs PE24 44XX Tel: 01522 558684 e-mail: nigelound@btinternet.com *** Lincs Amphibian and Reptile Group *** The Lincolnshire ARG (Amphibian & Reptile Group) For further details please contact ashleybutterfield@btinternet.com tel.07984 66 5847 *** Limestone Grassland Project *** Mark Schofield, Limestone Grassland Project Officer, mschofield@lincstrust.co.uk, Mobile: 07825970930, Switchboard: 01507 526667. *** Local Bat Helpline *** Gounded bats, bat problems, advice and information? Contact Annette and Colin Faulkner on 01775 766286 or e-mail: A.Faulkner@care4free.net *** Bat Recorder *** You may send confidential bat records direct to Annette Faulkner on: A.Faulkner@care4free.net *** Butterfly Conservation Recorder *** Allan Binding asks contributors of butterfly records to the Bulletin to include their address or contact telephone or e-mail address and Grid Reference if possible. e-mail: allan.binding@ntlworld.com See: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/species/bfly/index.php *** Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire link *** http://www.lincolnshire-butterflies.org.uk/index.html *** LNU Bees and Wasps Recorder *** Dr Michael Archer 17 Elmfield Terrace, Malton Road, York YO31 1EH. [Willing to check or identify any aculeate wasp or bee specimen. Such a specimen usually has to be relaxed and mounted on a pin before it can be examined. If more than a few specimens are sent in, they must be mounted.] *** OTTERS *** Readers are reminded that all dead Otters should be reported to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060. *** Mammal Records *** Mammal records can reported to chris@lincsdeer.info Mink reports also of interest and can be sent via the Bulletin. *** New Met Office Service *** The Met Office website now offers an email notification service for severe weather and other matters which may interest readers. Worth having a look and signing up. Be warned of the possibility of severe weather. See: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/2009/pr20090727.html *** LNU Moths Gallery *** There is a moth page on the LNU Website, to promote the recording of moths across the county. http://www.lnu.org/ Also see: http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/species/hawkmoths/index.php *** LNU Plant Galls Recorder *** Graeme Clayton 2 The Dene Nettleham Lincoln LN2 2LS g.clayton@ntlworld.com Willing to check or identify any plant gall material. Recording forms www.british-galls.org.uk *** Slug ID Help *** Chris du Feu will help with slug identification. You can telephone him on: 01427 848400 or e-mail: chris@chrisdufeu.force9.co.uk *** Lincolnshire Badger Group Update *** Ally Townsend of the Weirfield Wildlife Hospital, writes: If you would like to give people the Lincoln number 01522 530428 a member of staff will record the sighting or RTA. Or use the Weirfield website: http://www.weirfield.co.uk/ where a reporting page can be used to send in reports. *** Bird Club Recorder *** LBC County Bird Recorder Steve Keightley: steve.keightley@btinternet.com *** Other Useful Websites *** Key links are now being posted on the LNU website. http://www.lnu.org/ This should save space in the Bulletin, Suggestions for other useful Websites are welcome. Natural England http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ Still includes SSSI Information and "Nature on the Map" Lincolnshire Environmental Awards http://www.lincsenvironmentalawards.org.uk/ Lincs. Wildlife Trust Website http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/ Useful emergency numbers for wildlife crises. http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/factsheets/ Lincs Environmental Records Centre The Lincolnshire Biodiversity Partnership (of which LERC is a part) Contact: Charlie Barnes, cbarnes@lincstrust.co.uk or for more general queries: info@lincsbiodiversity.org.uk Tornado and Storm Research Organisation www.torro.org.uk Contact Ian Loxley on colarain@tiscali.co.uk RSPB Contact Details RSPB Website: www.rspb.org.uk www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/freistonshore www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/f/framptonmarsh John Badley, Site Manager for RSPB Lincolnshire Wash reserves e-mail: freistonshore@rspb.org.uk Bardney Limewoods www.limewoods.co.uk limewoods@lincolnshire.gov.uk The Sir Joseph Banks Society Contact 01507 528223 or by email: enquiries@joseph-banks.org.uk. www.joseph-banks.org.uk EasyTide Check tide times on Admiralty EasyTide: http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/EasyTide/index.aspx TWO - The Weather Outlook Check the weather forecast for the location or postcode: http://www.theweatheroutlook.com/ *** Other Useful E-mail Addresses *** Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union: info@lnu.org Gibraltar Point: gibpoint@lincstrust.co.uk Far Ings: farings@lincstrust.co.uk Whisby Nature Park: whisbynp@lincstrust.co.uk NEW Syke's Farm: lwt@sykesfarm.org.uk Lincs. Trust HQ: The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust main e-mail address: info@lincstrust.co.uk Lincolnshire FWAG: lincoln@fwag.org.uk Chambers Farm Wood NEW contact - Mary Porter Mary.porter@forestry.gsi.gov.uk Lincolnshire Bird Club Secretary - Janet Eastmead: janet.eastmead@talktalk.net Membership Secretary - Mike Harrison: michael@michaelharrison1.wanadoo.co.uk If you would like your e-mail listed here, please let me know. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9. Notes about these wildlife reports ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We do our best to ensure accuracy in our reporting but these records are sent in by a variety of reporters, from complete beginners to professionals. They therefore vary in reliability and in certain cases they are impossible to verify. If further information is needed on locations or reporters, or if you wish to question/confirm any of these records, contact: rparsons@enterprise.net Bulletins are sent to Biological Recorders at the Lincs. Wildlife Trust, Lincolnshire Naturalists' Union and Lincolnshire Bird Club. [Note: Where plants are reported, this is usually because they have been seen and identified in flower.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 10. The Bulletin's publicity policy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We will sometimes withhold precise details of the location of rare or endangered species. Please point out any sensitive or "tricky" reports of this kind. Sensitive data should go directly to county recorders, please. We ask that you respect the interests of wildlife and site owners if you report to national networks. Make a point of explaining site sensitivity and any restrictions on access. An interest in wildlife is not a licence to act irresponsibly/thoughtlessly to landowners, who may well be partners in important conservation work. [Remember - views expressed in the Bulletin do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions on the LNU or associated organisations. In particular this applies to such agencies, especially charities, taking a political stance.] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11. LNU Events Diary For LNU meetings also see www.lnu.org/events.php ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Field Meetings generally start at 12 noon for 1.00pm, but please check the website details for each event. Sunday 10th October Hoplands Wood and Willoughby Branch Line, South of Alford. Both LWT Reserves. Fungus Foray 12.00 for 13.00 start. Hoplands Wood site first. This wood is found on the Willoughby-Claxby road, about 4 km (2.5 miles) south of Alford and 1 km (0.6 miles) west of the B1196 road. Park on verge at TF459 718. Willoughby Branch Line located at TF474 736. Habitats: Mixed Woodland, grassland, scrub, disused railway. Leader: Ray Halstead 07772 613640 ray.halstead@tiscali.co.uk Reminder Indoor Meetings are held on Saturdays at the Whisby Education Centre, Whisby Nature Park, Moor Lane, Thorpe on the Hill, Lincoln and start at 2pm. Saturday, November 06, 2010 No Bones About It Dr David Sheppard of Natural England will talk on on invertebrate conservation projects. Saturday, January 15, 2011 Extinctions and Invasions: A Social History of British Fauna Dr Naomi Sykes, Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Nottingham wil take about her newly published book. http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/88116//Location/Oxbow ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ....and finally..... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *** MailFails This Week *** If you hear of anyone bemoaning the lack of a Bulletin, please refer them to the Bulletin Portal where they will find a copy. http://rogerparsons.info/bulletinportal.html Recent mailfails: psaw "does not like recipient" lincoln@fwag "Scored 4.3 on Spamassasin" e.green "does not like recipient" If you recognise any failed address, please ask them to contact me with a new address if they wish to continue to receive the Bulletin. Thanks. Roger *** The secret life of harvest mice as never seen before *** From John Buckley http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1314285/Revealed-tiny-The-secret-life-harvest-mice.html if you enjoy heights, you might enjoy the following, sent to me by Dr Chris Reading: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44zk6UQcvEQ ---------- ~ THE END ~ ----------- (..until next week!) Roger Parsons http://rogerparsons.info/